Replacement PCs: what level?

[Vanuslux]

A new character starts with the same amount of XP as the character with the least XP minus ten percent unless they're a new player to the campaign, in which case the ten percent reduction is waived.

 

[diaglo]

Control + V = Paste

i haven't eaten glue since i was in kindegarten.

 

[Mokona]

Punishing players for character death encourages poor roleplaying and props up the silly Raise Dead culture. Characters that die stay dead but the fun should continue. It's no fun taking an arbitrary penalty (1st level, or -1 level) just because yours was that character that got unlucky or made a heroic sacrifice.

If the entire party dies, well then the gloves are off. Everyone may start at a different level (higher or lower) to fit the campaign or a new campaign might start. Of course, I've never killed the entire party so who can say for sure.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Level 1-2: Average Party Level or Equal to the Lowest-Level PC (choose lower)
Level 3-7: Average Party Level - 1 or Equal to the Lowest-Level PC (choose lower)
Level 8-17: Average Party Level - 2 or Lowest-Level PC's Level - 1 (choose higher)
Level 18+: Average Party Level - 3 or Lowest-Level PC's Level - 1 (choose higher)

Basically, as the party goes up in level, I'm willing to accept a greater disparity (because individual levels are a less significant percentage of the character's power, and, at least in D&D, levels in general are less important relative to magic items). At no point will I accept a new character coming in above the level of the lowest-level surviving PC in the group.

All of this assumes the character died randomly (quite possibly from player stupidity) or the player just decided to retire the character on the spur of the moment (quite possibly so he could try out something new); if the player wanted to work in the PC's death or retirement over the course of an adventure, I would allow him to bring in a new character at the same level.

 

[Perun]

Average party level -1, unless that would put the new character two (or more) levels behind the highest -level character in the party, in which case the new character starts at the lowest level in the party.

 

[Mallus]

But the point is, starting at Level 1 suggests a game of "This individual man against the harsh realities of this (often dark) fantasy world". Whereas an epic quest of Good vs. Evil suggests that the characters are actors in a larger drama and have special destinies accordingly. In that kind of game I can easily see how starting over at Level 1 could be inappropriate.

Nice description of the difference between pulp swords-and-sorcery and Tolkienite epic fantasy. I particularly liked 'Satire of Industrial Man'...

But what does that have to do with PC (re)starting level? What challenges a 10th level character annihilates a 1st level one, no matter how smart the player is, unless of course, you consider 'not being anywhere near the 10th level character, preferably on another, safer, continent' a part of 'smart play', but then, that's not practical given a party-centric game.

This is inherent in the 3.0/3.5 power curve. Unless I'm missing something...

And to answer the original question: same level as everyone else. My current campaign has a single party XP total. Everyone who shows up to play, regardless of the character, begins the session with that total.

I see XP less as a reward and more as a challenge rating.

 

[Lanefan]

I used to use one level lower than the lowest surviving PC, but learned my lesson when a party's average level went backwards during a few tough adventures in my first campaign...

Now, I use one level lower than the average...unless someone else also recently joined, in which case you'd be the same as whatever they are. You'll never come in at higher level than another PC in the party.

Note this is for *new* characters only. If someone's cycling a retired character back in it just comes in at whatever level it is. If it's been retired for a while we'll do some rolling to see what it's been up to in the meantime...sometimes gaining some levels in the process.

Lanefan

 

[Herremann the Wise]

I have a slightly different interpretation.

I figure that it's the player as much as the character earning the XP so if for example a player lost their 8th level character, they would be bring in a new character one level lower - that is at 7th.

While Raise Dead will bring back the old character halfway between 7th and 8th in terms of XP, the new character here would start at the base level of 7th. This is regardless of party average or heaven forbid the lowest level party member.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Graybeard]

In my games as well as others I have played in, the replacement PC comes in at a level lower than party average or, one level lower than the dead PC.

 

[Cam Banks]

Can I ask those who have the -1 level or lower sort of rule why you'd do this?

Cheers,
Cam